Step 1: Do Not Panic — Take Stock First
The first thing stress does in a lockout is make you act before you think. Take a breath and run through the basics before reaching for your phone or anything else.
- Try every door handle, including the rear passenger doors and the boot.
- Check whether any window is open far enough to reach the interior handle.
- Look for the spare key — at home, in a bag, with a family member nearby.
- Check if anyone else has a copy of your key.
If none of those options apply, you have a genuine lockout and you need a locksmith.
Step 2: Call a Reputable Local Locksmith
The locksmith industry in the UK is unregulated, which means anyone can set up as one. The safest approach is to use a local locksmith you can verify — check Google reviews, look at their website, and make sure they quote a price before attending rather than on arrival.
Red flags to watch for: locksmiths advertising nationally with a local number, quotes that seem low until they arrive and add "programming fees" or "security verification charges", and any locksmith who refuses to give a ballpark price over the phone.
RTI Auto Locksmith operates locally across Wigan and surrounding areas. When you call, you get the person doing the job — not a dispatcher. We quote clearly before attending and that is the price you pay.
What Not to Do When Locked Out
There is a lot of DIY lockout advice online that was written for cars from the 1980s. None of it applies to modern vehicles and most of it causes damage. Avoid all of the following:
✗ Coat hangers and wire
Modern door frames do not leave enough gap, and trying to create one will damage weatherstripping and trim. Effective on cars from before the 1990s. Useless and damaging on anything modern.
✗ Credit cards and plastic shims
This technique works on very old spring-latch locks. Modern cars use dead-bolt style mechanisms inside the door. A credit card will not move them, and you will likely crack the card into the door seal.
✗ Breaking a window
Tempered glass is expensive to replace. Laminated glass on some modern cars requires professional replacement. Unless there is a genuine emergency involving a person in danger inside, breaking a window will cost you far more than a locksmith.
✗ Recovery trucks
Calling breakdown recovery to tow your locked car to a dealer is expensive, slow (often 60 to 90 minutes or more), and the dealer will charge a premium for the key service anyway. A mobile locksmith on-site is almost always cheaper and faster.
Keeping Yourself Safe While You Wait
Most lockouts are straightforward inconveniences. But if yours happens at night, in an isolated area, or somewhere you feel uncomfortable, your safety takes priority over the car.
Move to a well-lit, public area if necessary. A nearby petrol station, a 24-hour supermarket car park, or even a well-lit street corner is fine — let the locksmith know your new location when you call. They will update their navigation.
If someone approaches you and you feel unsafe, call 999. Your car is not worth your safety.
Other Useful Guides from RTI
- Car key replacement costs in the UK → — what you should expect to pay
- Can a locksmith make a key without the original? →
- Our car lockout service → — how RTI handles lockout entry
- Our Wigan coverage area → — areas and response times